Dear former students… Seeking Inspiration for the Next Decade
- Dana Vignale
- Dec 31, 2019
- 2 min read
“Feedback is the breakfast of champions” – Ken Blanchard
As the decade comes to a close and I begin to wax nostalgic after teaching for two decades, I find myself pondering whether or not the impact and influence I had hoped to have on my students was real. More importantly, as I begin a new journey and have time to dig deep into the art of teaching, I also am seeking your feedback on our time spent together with hopes to find inspiration for my work to come.
Just as I spent an entire school year (or more, if we were lucky!) providing you feedback about your writing and literary analysis and becoming a good person, I would like to know a few things so that I can continue to grow to my greatest potential as an educator:
Would you kindly take a moment to indulge me in my reflection?
What resonated with you about our course then and what may still resonate with you today?
What were your favorite texts we explored together, and why?
What activities or conversations from our class do you still remember?
What impacted you the most about our time together?
What could I do better?
I look forward to your comments at the end of this blog, and please also include the school and the year we had the fortunate opportunity to learn and grow …
And lastly, most likely I shared the wise words of Dr. Seuss on our parting day:
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.
And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)
KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
And if my writing assignment isn’t too long for you, please also share where your journey has taken you. Nothing fills a teacher’s heart with more joy than learning about the achievements of her former scholars.
Thank you in advance for the time you took to write and reconnect. I cannot wait to hear from you!
Wishing you and your families nothing but health, joy, and happiness in the new decade.
With Love,
Mrs. Vignale/AKA Ms. Ligocki
What resonated with you about our course then and what may still resonate with you today?
I was intellectually challenged in your class. I also remember you genuinely enjoyed seeing the wheels turning in our heads. That’s hard to come by.
What were your favorite texts we explored together, and why?
I’m trying to remember if I read Night by Elie Wiesel for your class. I bawled reading that one.
What activities or conversations from our class do you still remember?
The essay editing.
What impacted you the most about our time together?
I learned how to write cohesively. Thank you!
What could I do better?
Less homework? I don’t know. Putting myself in a 15 year old’s shoes.
After…
What resonated with you about our course then and what may still resonate with you today?
You helped me become a better writer and how to organize myself when doing research. To this date, I still use the same method (or very similar) with index cards to organize myself when writing my research papers.
What were your favorite texts we explored together, and why?
One of my favorite texts was The Alchemist. At the time I was looking for inspiration towards my future and this text came at the perfect moment. To this date at moments when most needed it still provides me with guidance and inspiration, especially in moments of intersection in my career.
What activities or conversations from…
* What resonated with you about our course then and what may still resonate with you today?
We were working on a term paper, and you gave us the foundation for forming cohesive arguments. It was simple and straight forward, but it stuck with me.
* What were your favorite texts we explored together, and why?
I can’t remember specifics, but I liked the short story assignment you gave us. It was the parody to Dante’s Inferno where I had Tony Robbins as one of my characters. You said you shared it with some of your friends and they thought it was funny.
* What activities or conversations from our class do you still remember?
Mainly the short…